Incensed By Rose's Insensitivity

May 18, 1986

ALLEN ROSE'S May 9 column is an example of the most blatant insensitivity yet to a truly heart-wrenching and tragic chain of events that has fallen upon our beleaguered space program. Frankly I felt nausea and deep despair, as well as a sense of total revulsion, as I read the column about NASA's littering the beach with the remains of its failures. I am perplexed as to why an otherwise highly respected newspaper would burden its readers with such nonsensical tripe.

Rose's feeble attempt to be funny and his obviously warped sense of humor has only added to the distress of an already distressed people, many of whom have devoted their lives, their careers and their futures to our county's efforts in space. Rose may think himself clever -- he is not. He may think himself cute with his sick sense of humor -- he is not. If Rose's objective was to strike a damaging blow to a dedicated group of people who are striving for betterment of all mankind, he has succeeded.

I would ditto the above remarks for the editor and his staff responsible for the Sentinel's content relative to your seeming obsession with frivolous and demeaning cartoons, as epitomized in those appearing on your editorial page on April 25 (the abomination on NASA comparative costs) and on May 9 (the NASA organizational chart). It is true that cartoonist Dana Summers did an excellent rendition of the seven doves ascending to heaven immediately after Challenger's tragedy, but the two cited above: Shame! Shame! Shame!